The Thailand Blotter Pt.4

CHIANG MAI: With the craze for Jatukam Ramathep amulets still going strong, stories of miraculous survivals from shootings, stabbings, car crashes and other seemingly-dangerous events are a fixture in the Thai press at the moment.

A recent case of supposed magical invulnerability involved a muay Thai instructor in Chiang Maiâ€™s Chiang Dao District. Around noon on May 31 the instructor, Bunsong Khama, 52, was kneeling outside his house conducting a ceremony to bless grains of rice, which he would then give to his fighters to chew before a fight. Known for his knowledge of arts both magical and martial, K. Boonsong claimed that if punched or elbowed, his boys would be resistant to cuts.

Not wanting to send his fighters into the ring without being sure if his spells and incantations had worked, K. Bunsong decided to test the holy rice on himself first. He chewed a few grains and then asked his girlfriend to come at him with a knife. His girlfriend, 23-year-old Lahu tribeswoman Nadoe Jakha, had full faith in her partnerâ€™s magical abilities. Thus, she didnâ€™t hold back, using a knife to slash him once in the head and three more times to the body.

Unfortunately, the knife did not bounce off as the pair had expected. Rather, it sliced quite neatly though the flesh of K. Bunsong, who was left screaming in agony on the floor. Realizing what she had done, K. Nadoe rushed him to hospital.

The police officer in charge of the resulting case, Lt Col Anek Chaiwong, an Investigating Officer at Chiang Dao District Police Station, said that K. Bunsong was in such serious condition that he had to be transferred to Nakhon Phim Hospital in Mae Rim District. His wounds required more than 50 stitches.

Police have filed a preliminary charge of attempted murder against K. Nadoe while they investigate, Col Anek added.

Take This Muthafucka…Wait Gimme A Second

TRANG: An employee at the Trang branch of Tesco Lotus had a lucky escape on April 19 when an angry KFC worker attempted to shoot him at point blank range with a shotgun. The cartridge, however, misfired.

About 10 am, Sombun Sikhajan, 31, was working in the tape section as usual when Phichet Kanmak, 33, who worked at the storeâ€™s branch of KFC, strode up to him and drew a shotgun. K. Sombun was spared from almost certain death however, when the gun made only a sorry click rather than the expected bang.

K. Sombun jumped forward to try and wrestle the gun from Phichet before he could get another shot off, causing a fight to break out. K. Sombun, however, was apparently no match for the enraged Phichet and quickly found himself having his head beaten against the counter.

At that point, the supermarketâ€™s security guards somewhat belatedly arrived on the scene and broke up the scuffle. Phichet then made his escape, leaving his shotgun behind.

When police from Trang Muang District Police Station led by Lt Narin Phumsawat arrived on the scene, they found the battered K. Sombun waiting to give a statement.

K. Sombun told police that he was fairly sure that the attack was motivated by jealousy as Phichet had seen him chatting with his girlfriend and may have thought that he was hitting on her. The day before the attack, Phichet had gone to speak to him in the store about the issue, K. Sombun said.

K. Sombun later reported to the police that sometime after the attack, Phichet called him to ask for his shotgun back and also let him know that he had â€œlots of gunsâ€.

Police summarized that the motive for the attack was likely to be jealousy and said they were still hunting for Phichet. At the time of going to press, they still had no leads as to his whereabouts.